Summer Camps

You can read all about our available camps below, and you can check out our Facebook page here! If you have any questions about our camps, please contact Andrew Koch, Associate Director of Bands.

2015 Summer Dates

High School Drum Majors Camp: July 7-11

Other High School Marching Camps: July 8-11

Color Guard Camp: July 8-11

Feature Twirler Camp: July 8-11

Concert Band Camps (open to all middle and high school students with 1 or more years of playing experience): July 15-18

All camps will be held on Grounds at the University of Virginia!

All campers will experience life as a Wahoo. They will stay in the dorms & rehearse in our new $13 million dollar Hunter Smith Band Building–a state-of-the-art rehearsal facility. Our camps are unique because UVa faculty teach the camp and our best UVa students play along side the campers every step of the way providing a one-of-a-kind leadership and performance experience.

Cost is $295. Applications will be posted online in mid-February.

MARCHING BAND CAMPS

Drum Major Camp

Each day of camp will be packed with leadership seminars, hands-on experience teaching large and small groups, marching fundamentals, and more! We believe that the best way for drum majors to improve is to experienceconducting in front of live groups as much as possible, rather than learning conducting to a tape. Students will work one-on-one with our staff and drum majors to improve conducting technique and leadership skills. Our overriding goal is to not only build better drum majors, but empower students to build a better team environment with their bands at home.

Student Leader and Musicianship

We believe that all great bands must have great leaders, and you don’t need a title to be a leader. This camp focuses on the skills needed to make each person a better player on their instrument while giving them important tools to share with their sections at home. It would be a valuable camp for individuals who are in a section leader, band captain or other leadership role as well as anyone wishing to become a better player on their instrument. We will provide participants a chance to conduct sectional rehearsals and learn valuable lessons on team building, leadership and teaching.

Color Guard Camp

The colorguard instructor of the Cavalier Marching Band will along with our student leaders will teach fundamental flag basics and routines designed to enhance any program. Individuals, groups, and entire flag corps are welcome to attend. The Color Guard Camp is designed to enhance existing technique for guard, equipment training, and basic dance techniques. We will also work one-on-one with camp participants to improve individual performance aspects.

Marching Percussion Camp

This camp is beneficial to the individual percussionist as well as the entire school drumline. The percussion camp will focus on developing and enhancing the marching percussion technique and leadership. The camp is taught by Pat Zampetti and Larry Cauley, UVa’s own percussion instruction team.

Feature Twirler Camp

This camp is open to twirlers of all ages and features UVa’s own feature twirler Amy West as instructor. Participants will learn the importance of multiple baton work and learn several new tricks and combinations and more.

CONCERT BAND CAMPS

Open to all High School & Middle School Band Students

Our concert band camps feature instruction from the UVa Band staff and featured guests. Each participant will have sessions in full band rehearsals, sectional masterclasses, private instruction and more. The camp is a valuable way to improve your skills on your instrument in the summer months and learn how to become a better ensemble member as well. The bands will perform a concert on the final day of camp.

Special Features (for all camps)

In addition to fun activities that we will have planned for you, the Cavalier Band Camps can offer many things that camps at other universities cannot:

Touring of historical sites around the UVa grounds

A “HOW-TO” session with a UVa admissions officer on preparing for admission to universities in general and how you can use your marching band and/or twirling experience to your advantage!

A special culminating performance involving all camp groups on the UVa Grounds